Sir Basil Urwin Spence, 1907 - 1976. Architect

After the Second World War, the need for better housing became a central
political issue. Many local authorities, now run by the Labour party, set out
to build large numbers of council-owned homes. In Scotland, the architect Sir
Basil Spence designed houses, schools and university buildings, but his name is
forever linked with the gigantic Hutchesontown 'C' redevelopment in Glasgow's
Gorbals district. These high-rise buildings, with inside toilets and large
balconies, were intended as high-quality alternatives to the area’s slum
tenements. However, social exclusion and poor execution of the designs meant
that the buildings deteriorated very quickly into dirty and dilapidated
dwellings. Social problems and deprivation persisted, and the buildings were eventually
demolished in 1993.

Born in India of Scots parents, Basil Spence studied architecture in Edinburgh and London. After the Second World War he won the competition to design a new cathedral for Coventry. This building became a symbol of regeneration for the British nation and brought Spence widespread acclaim. He went on to design many of the new British universities and provided modern facilities for the old universities, including Edinburgh University Library. Lida Moser's photograph was one of a series produced for American Vogue in 1949.

The photojournalist, Lida Moser, began her career in 1947 while a student in Berenice Abbot's studio in New York. She worked initially for 'Vogue' from 1949 and then for many other leading picture magazines, including 'Harper's Bazaar' and 'Look'. Across a varied commercial career, Moser gained a particular reputation for her portraits of artists, authors and musicians, shot mainly in Britain and the United States. Moser's first 'Vogue' assignment was titled 'Scottish Talents,' comprising portraits of leading Scottish artists and writers.

Did you know?

Basil Spence famously described his plans for the Gorbals flats rather too optimistically: ‘On Tuesdays, when the washing's out, it'll be like a great ship in full sail.’ For further information on Sir Basil Spence visit the Sir Basil Spence Archive Project website.